By Johnathan Cowden

Have you ever wondered why places in Stockport are called what they are called?

Over the last 10,000 years or so, Stockport has been inhabited by various peoples.

This includes Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Danes, Norse, Normans, and more. All of these people have left their mark on the culture and history of Stockport, including the various settlements within it and their names.

Stockport

Interestingly, no part of Stockport appears in the Domesday Book of 1086.

This is likely due to the land north of the Mersey being poorly surveyed. Or, Stockport could have been destroyed as part of William the Conqueror's infamous 'Harrying of the North'.

In any case, Stockport is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin, with the most accepted etymology being the Old English Stoc, meaning hamlet, and port, meaning marketplace.

This means Stockport was named for being a small settlement with a market.

Cheadle Hulme

The earliest recorded mention of Cheadle Hulme was in the Domesday Book, where it was recorded as Cedde, meaning wood.

The Hulme part is disputed, but is generally accepted to be derived from the Old Norse for 'water meadow' or 'island in the fen'.

This would make Cheadle Hulme a wood surrounded by water.

There has been a church in Cheadle since the 12th century - the original church, however, was wooden. The stone church was built in the 16th century (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Bramhall

As with Cheadle Hulme, the earliest recorded mention of Bramhall was in the Domesday Book, where it was recorded as Bramale.

This was derived from the Old English words Brom, meaning broom (the tree, not the cleaning tool) and halh, meaning secret place.

This would make Bramhall a secret place in the broom trees.

Like Stockport probably was, Bramhall was devastated as part of the 'Harrying of the North' and at one point classed as wasteland, but had recovered by the time of the Domesday Book's recording.

Bredbury

Appearing in the Domesday Book as Bredberie, Bredbury was likely an Anglo-Saxon fortification, and was named as such in Old English.

Nearby settlements such as Denton and Chadkirk, named from the Norse language, suggest that Viking invaders were present in the area at some point, which may be why such a fortification was necessary.

Werneth Low

It is generally believed that the Celts arrived in Britain at some point around 1,000BCE, and the influence of Celtic languages can still be felt in Stockport.

The word Low was just a Northern English word for hill, but Werneth derives from the Welsh Verno, meaning alder.

This means Werneth Low was named for being a hill where alders grow.

Hazel Grove

Only one of the three settlements that make up Hazel Grove appears in the Domesday Book, and that is Norbury, where it appears as Nordberie.

This was derived from the Old English nord, meaning North, and burh, meaning settlement, making Norbury simply the northern settlement.

One of the other settlements that makes up Hazel Grove is Torkington.

This likely comes from the name Turec, the Old English connective ing, indicating ownership, and tun, meaning settlement or farmstead.

This makes Torkington the settlement belonging to Turec. Interestingly, the name Turec is not an English name and has no meaning in the language, but is quite common in Eastern Europe, where it means 'Turk'.

The final settlement that makes up Hazel Grove is Bosden. This is derived from the name Bosa, and the Old English dun, meaning hill; Bosden just means Bosa's Hill.

Hazel Grove, meaning grove of hazel trees, was only officially named as such in 1836.

Before this, it was called Bullock Smithy, so named after the smithy that Richard Bullock built on the corner of Torkington Park in 1560.

Bramhall Hall is a Tudor manor house - even before this, the origins of Bramhall can be traced back by a further 500 years (Image - Pete Adamson)

Mellor

It is unclear what the origins for Mellor's name is.

It doesn't appear in the Domesday Book, but it is possible that Mellor would have been considered part of Ludworth in Marple, and would not get its own entry in the book.

A possible origin would be an anglicisation and amalgamation of the Celtic words Malio, meaning bare of trees, and the end of the word briga, meaning hill.

This would make Mellor the hill with no trees.

Reddish

While not appearing in the Domesday Book, Reddish was almost certainly around at the time.

The name likely derives from "reedy ditch", which may be a reference to the Nico Ditch.

This was dug as a defensive fortification from invaders, and local folklore says that it was the site of a fierce battle between Saxons and Danes, but many have dismissed this story.

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